Folding table



April 2l, 1925.

G. D.' SMITH FOLDING TALE' Filed April 2G A TTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 21, 1925;,

' UNITED STATES @ROVER D. SMITH, OF, HONTCLAIR,INEW JERSEY.

FOLDING TABLE.

Application illed April 26, 1924. Serialy No. 709,099.

.To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GROVER D. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, and a -resi dent of Montclair, in the4 county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Folding Tables, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates more particularly to that class of table known at the presentk time as a card table, and which has a comparatively thin, top with' legs extending therefrom when the table'is in use but constructedso that they can be folded closely against said top and enable the entire table to be put away standing upon oneedge against 'a wall or the like and occupy but little space when it is not in use. While 1 have shown m t invention a V,plied to such a card table, I o notintend t ereby to limit its use, as ofcourse a table embodying my invention -can be used for any purpose what ever. v

The objects of the invention are to secure an improved construction by which all. four legs of the table can be operatedsimultaneously in opening and closing; to secure suchy a construction which can be light and yet the legs rigid with respect tothe table so that it shall be firm and stable; to secure an improved construction `for opening and closing the legs connected in opposite y pairs; to utilize for this purpose a' swlng-f in member mounted upon thev bottoml of the ta le t p and linked to the opposite pairs of legs, which member swings slightly past positions of alinement with the links, so as to lock the legs open and closed; to prevent springing of the pairs of legs .from affecting such|- locking, and to obtaln otheradvantages and' results as may be brought out by the following description. l

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which the same numerals of reference designate corresponding and like parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1iis a vertical sectional view on line 1-1 o f Fig.\3, of the table with its legs extended;

Figure 2 1s an underneath view of a portion of the table with its parts in the same positions as in Fig. 1, and 'l F'gu-re 3 is an underneath View of the At the underside of the table to entire table with the legs closed or folded against .the 'bottom of the table top. In the specific embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, `l indicates the usual thin topof a card. table having a marginal underlying frame 2 and a depending edge 3. At two opposite sides of the table, strips 4, 4 .which are shown of wood are hinged to the frame 2, each by hinges 5, 5, so that said strips 4, 4 will fold flatwise against the bottom of the table top 1, inside the frame 2, as clearly shown inFigure 3. Each of said strips 4 carries a pair of table legs 6, 6 and 7, 7, the two pairs being differently positioned on their strips 4, 4 so` as to pass each other in folding, as will be clearly understood, Each of the strips 4 will swing from its folded posit-ions into edgewise position with respect to the table top, as shown in Figure 1, itsl edge seating in such position against the' bottom of the frame 2 as do also the tops of the legs carried by the strip.

cured a plate 8, and upon the un erside of this plate is pivoted intermediate its ends, as at 90,` a lever 9 to swing in a plane arallel to the plate and table top. Pivot vconnected to said lever 9at points equi istant from its fulcrum, soasto swing parallel to and 11 incline upwardly from the lower,

edges of the strips 4, 4 to the'lever 9 when 1 is se-y the table is vopen or its legs extended, as'

shown in Figure 1, and the ends of the links which are ivoted to said leverare somewhat curve and pivotedA loosely enough to 'i permit unobstructed folding of the table as hereinafter described.

When the table is open, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the lever 9 swings slightlypast a position which would bring its points 13, 13 ofpivoting to the links 10, 11 into line with the points 14, 14 of pivoting of the links to the hinges 12, 12, yone extended end 15 of the lever 9 striking a stop 16 to limit movement of the lever in that direction. By this means the'table legs are locked in extended position and will remain so without any danger of the table collapsing. Preferably bracing blocks 17, 17 are secured to the underside of the frame 2 in such position that the hinged `strips 4, 4 will abut thereagainst when open and thus prevent suflicient spring of said strips to detract from the locking effect of the lever 9 turned past its position of alinement ofthe pivotal points, as above described.

To closethe table or fold its legs against the top, as shown in Figure 3, the lever 9 is readily given a half turn into the position shown inFigure 3, whereby the links 10, 11

` are drawn upon and Athe legs folded, and

again the lever turns slightly ypast the position in which the pivotal points 13, 13 are in line with the pivotal points 14, 14, so that it is locked in closed position. A stop for this lockingv movement is provided by oppositely curving the links 10, 11 longitu-A dmally ed ewise so that they abut at their adjacent e ges at exactly the pro er point to limit'the turnin The norma distance between the respective pivots 13 and 14 and relation of the lever 9 and links 10, 11 to the respective strips 4, 4 are such as to resist the swinging of the lever 9 in both directions into positions to bring the pivots 13, 14 and 90 into alinemcnt, and either the links 10, 11 or the strips 4, 4 are slightly resilient or yieldable to permit said lever 9 to swing past said position of alinement of said pivots, so that the lever is yieldingly held in both of said locking posltions and the legs cannot be extended or folded except by forcible swinging of the lever 9 about its pivot 90 against said yielding resistance.

Ve simple and effective locking means for ho ding the table legs both extended and,

closed are provided by my -im roved construction, and furthermore loc ing means which act automatically without any possililit; of the operating lever turning toov far.

t t readily released from such locking by the same movement which swings the lever, and the operator has to pay no attention `to the locking other than to swing the lever until it snaps into its nal position.

Var1ous modifications of construction may be employed by those skilled in the art, in manufacturing my improved foldin table, without departing from the spirit an scope of the invention, and I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself except as required b the following claims when construed in t e light of the rior art.

Having thus described t e invention, what I claim is:

1. In a folding table, the combination with"A opposite legs in hinged relation to the e same tlme, the lever and-its links are f table top, of links pivotally connected at their outer ends to saidy legs, an operating lever having its armspivoted to said links so as to turn under tension past its positions of al-inement of its points of said pivoting with the points of pivoting of the links to the legs, and means for limiting turning of said lever to positions slightly past said alinement positions.

2. In a-folding table, the combination with opposite legs in hinged relation to the table top, of links pivotally connected at their outer ends to said legs, an'operating lever having its arms pivoted to said links so as to turn under tension past its positions of alinement of its oints of said pivoting with the points of pivoting of the links to the legs, one of said arms being extended past the point of pivoting to its link and a sto-p for engaging said extended arm to limit turning of the lever in one direction to a position slightly beyond one of its said alinement positions.

3. 'In a folding table, the combination with opposite legs in hinged relation to the table top, of links pivotally connected at their outer ends to said legs, an operating lever having its arms pivoted to said links so as to turn under tension past its positions of alinement of its points of said pivoting with the points of ivotin of the links to the legs, said links eing ormed to engage each other edgewise upon turning the lever in one direction and limit such turning to a position slightly past one of its said alinement ositions, and means for limiting turning ci) the lever in the other direction to a position slightly past the other of its said alinement positions.

4. In a folding table, the combination with opposite legs in hinged relation to the table top, of links pivotally connected at their outer ends to' said legs, an operating lever having its arms pivoted to said links so as `to turn under tension ast 'its positions of alinement of its points ci) said pivoting with the points of pivoting of the links to the legs, said links'being oppositely bent in the plane in which they swing with respect to the lever so as to engage each other at their concave edges when the table legs are folded and limit turning of the lever to a position slightly past the alinement of said pivotal points at that end of its movement, and means for limiting turning of the lever in the other direction to a position slightly beyond the alinement of said pivotal points at the other end of its movement.

5. In a folding table, the combination with opposite legslin hinged relation to the table top, of links pivotally connected at their outer ends to said legs, an operating lever having its arms pivoted to said links so as to turn under tension past its positions of alinement of its points of said pivoting with tile points of pivoting of the links to the tions, and a stop for engaging said extended legs, one of said arms being extended past arm to limit turning of the lever in the other the point of pivoting to its link and said direction toy a position slightly beyond the 10 links beingformed to engage each other `other ofits said alinemeni ositions.

5 edgewise upon turning the lever inone di- GRN/E D. SMTH. 'rection and' limit such turning 'to a position slightlypast one of its said alinoment posi- 

